Refrigerating apparatus.



E. DETTMAR.

RPFRIGBRATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APB..20. 1909. 1,000,723. Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. DETTMAR.

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED UL20, 1909.

900,723. A Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. DETTMAR.

REPRIGBRATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20, 1909.

1,000,723. Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

a SHEETS-SHEET s.

2 f; :Y 1 f W, Il"

Q1" es f f f f f f f 1 C @g 4. to@ m UNITED sTATigs vPATENT OFFICE.

EBNS DETTMAR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T-O DE LA VEB-GNE MACHINE COH- PANY, F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BEFRIGERATIN G APPARATUS.A

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, s 1911.

Application filed April 20, 1909. Serial No. 491,147.

j To all whom 'it may concern:

' citizen of the United states of ments in Refrigerating Apparatus, of which the following is a full, true, and concise specification.

The invention seeks to improve the efficiency and the facility of operationand cont-rol of refrigerating systems of the expansion type, and involves the provision of means for promoting continuous, uniform gasification of the liquid refrigerant throughout the length of the expansion coil, and certain other provisions, hereinafter described land illustrated, and more particularly pointed out in the claims. F

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a refrigerating system employing my invention; Figs. 2 and 3 areY respectively transverse and longitudinal views of the separator shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a modified form of the new system; and Fig. 5 is a detail of a plunger valve.

The compressor 1, which is adapted for compressing ammonia gas or other suitable refrigerant in its gaseous form, discharges its compressed gas through the force-pipe 2 into the condenser coils 3, wherein the heat of compression is abstracted and the compressed gas becomes liquefied. The liquefied refrigerant passes from thence through the pipe 4 to the liquid storage tank 5,v from which it passes through pipe 6 to the expansion valve 7. The pipe 8 leading from the top of the condenser coils to the storage tank 5 is the usual connection for equalizing the pressure in those parts. Passing through the-expansion-valve 7, whichy 1s a 'valve .with a restricted and adjustable valveport opening, the refrigerant enters and expands into and through theexpansion coil or coils 9, which are maintained, as presently explained, in a state of relative rarefaction,

as compared to the previous pressure of thea liquid, so that gasification of the same takes place promptly and with a coincident absorption of heat units from the. brine or whatever heat-vehicle may surround the coils. The expansion coil 9, being the direct refrigerating element of the apparatus,l

' may either be submerged in the usual tank of brine which forms a part of a well -coils without becoming tained by connecting its discharge outlet 10 with the suction 11 of the gas compressor abovel mentioned, whereby theexpanded and gasified refrigerant is again compressed and returned through the condenser to the stor- A age tank for further use.

The return or outlet connection from the l expansion coilvto the compressor is made through a gas and liquid separator, marked 12, by means of which such portion of the refrigerant as passes through the expansion from the gasified refrigerant and collected, so that it can be removed and separately restored to its previous state of pressure, while gas only is admtted to the gas compressor f Or recompression and subsequent condensaion.

The separator (Figs. 2 and 3)V consists of a casing 14 with its upper chamber divided by baliie walls 13 into two tortuous lpassages The expanded refrigerant, comprlsing .gas and liquid, enters the separator from the outlet 10, divides, and passes through they gasified, 1s separated understood circulatory brine system extendrarefaction in the expansion coil is mainsaid passages becoming reunited again in Athe central chamber 15, where the gas 4is drawn upwardly into the suction pipe 11 which is connected to the top of the casing. The liquid'in the expanded refrigerant impinges onI the walls of the curved passages, largely lby the centrifugal effect, and flows down onto the inclined floor 16, from which it drips into the collecting basin formed by the bottom of the chamber. At the points where the passages make sharp turns, the walls are preferably ribbed, as shown at 17, in order to increase the impingement area. While the type of separator just described is quite satisfactory for the purposes of the case in hand and possesses certain special advantage-sit will be understood that other types may be employed with equal effect, the principal consideration being that-the separation shall be accomplished rapidly and effectively so that `the full amount of the liquid may be removed and restored to the storage tank pressure without passing through the stages of vaporization, compression and condensation, and whereby such frigerant in zov -pansion coil with it.

- erant and another for such oil or wateras may have been carried over through the ex- These outlets are disposed at different levels'so as to takeadvan-v tage of the different specific gravities of the` oil and refrigerant and thus effect a more complete isolation and also purification of the latter. The refrigerant floats on the oil and is withdrawn through the upper of the two outlets which is formed by a tube 18,

covered by a strainer 19 and supported in a connection head ortting 20 through which the liquid refrigerantpasses into the pipe 21. The fitting 20 is carried by the end of a tube 27 which forms an annular chamber about the outlet pipe 18 for the reception of the oil and from which the said oil maybe withdrawn through a lateral outlet pipe 28, its withdrawal being accomplished either by means of gravity or by a pump as sliownat 29, according as the system is operated under pressure above atmosphere or under vacuum. The lateral pipe 28 affords a convenient bot-f' tom connection for the sight-tube 30 with which the separator is supplied, 'the upper end of the said tube being connected with the separator above the normal level of the liquid therein. When the system is in operation, the sight-tube affords a visual indi` cation to the operator of ,the amount of liquid issuing from the expansion coil, and thereby greatly facilitates the operation and control of the system, as later explained.

The liquid refrigerant collected by the separator may be continuously or interniittently restored to former pressure, according to convenience, but in any case the arrangement of the removing and pressure-restorf ing parts is such that any gas that forms therein may ascend freely through the liquid by virtuel of its lesser specific gravity, and

pass into the separator and gas siictiou 11.V

In the system shown rby Fig. 1 the liquid outlet-pipe .21 is connected thro-ugh the valve 21a with the inlet pipe of a pump 22 which operates more or less continuously kto remove the liquid-about at the same rate as it enters the separator. y This pump is preferablyof the type wherein the introduction of the liquid to the pumping chamber is ef.- fected by gravity, without relief of pressure, so that gasification thereof within the pump or` obviousv fthe ports 24cm.-l plunger the valve is unseated allowing the or its connection is prevented so far as possible. To this end the pump is located 'somewhat belowithe level'of the separator and the inlet pipe 21is in open communicat-ion with an inlet reservoir 22 which surrounds thelpumpiiig cylinder.' The yliquid in this ires'e'rvoir 22 fiows through a lateral openin 23 into the pump cylinder above the head o the plunger 24 therein, the upstroke of thelatter ows by gravity through the valve controlled ports 24 in the said plunger thereof.- A suitable valve for controlling ports 24a may consist, as illustrated in Fig. 5, of an. ordinary puppet valve 24". Vwith its stem held for limited movement. inthe plunger head and surroundedby a light coil spring 2 4 which tends to seat it and close During the upstroke of the liquid tol pass into the pumping chamberand at the same time permits gas which may be present beneath the plungervto pass out` through the inlet reservoir and from thence` into the separator and suction .11, all of the said parts beingarranged as shown, so that thegas forming therein and acting underl its tendency to rise in the liquid, lwill find a substantially direct and unobstructed upward passage therethrough to the gas above the liquid in the separator. On the downstroke the valve is positively closed by con-` tact with the liquid, and the latter is forced out through the force-valve 25 intothe pipe 26, whence it passes with its former pressure restored, to the storage tank 5. The presence ofthe fcool liquid refrigerant in thel inlet reservoir 22 surrounding the pumping chamber cools and insulates the latter v.and tends to prevent gasification of the liquid therein by such relative relief of pressure as maybe due to the slight inertia or friction ofthe inlet'valve24a.

In the modified form of the system illustrated by Fig. 4, the Lliquid collected by the separator is intermittently restored to its initial ror storage-tank pressure, by the agency of energy'taken from the gas compressor, and the necessity of a special liquid pumpvis avoided. In this figure the apparat'us is the same, with exception of 'the pump and its connections, as the apparatus 'of Fig. 1 and bears the same i'efeiencenumerals. IThe bottoni ofthe separator is connected through a valved connection 21l with a closed reservoir 31 into Awhich the liquid refrigerant from the separator can pass by gravity. The reservoir is supplied with a vsight-tube for indicating the level therein,

and has a bottom outlet through a checkvalve 32 into the pipe 26 which leads as before to the storage tank 5. kllVhen the reservoir is filled or nearlyv filled with separated liquid, as indicated by the sight-tube,

and during the valve 21a is momentarily closed While 130 compressedgas is admitted to the top of the reservoir 'b way of valve 34 and pipe 33,

` whichconnects the reservoir with the force in obvious manner.

lso

pipe 2 ofthe gascompressor. The force pipe pressure is sufficient to expel t-he liquid from the reservoir 3linto the tank 5, whereupon the gas valve 34 is closed and the valve 21a is opened to restablish communication with the separator. The sight-tube on the reservoir serves the same indicating functions as that on the separator and ma be used to the exclusion of the latter, if deslred. On the restablishment of the communication between the reservoir and t-he separator, the excess of pressure in the former will be neutralized and further separated liquid may enter and collect within the reservoir, Still other methods of the pressure to the separated restoring within the scope liquid `may be resorted to of the invention.

The separation of the gas and liquid of the discharge from the expansion coil, as accomplished by the apparatus above described, enables a suli-cient quantity of liquid to be passed through the coils to maintain the full length of its interior in a constantly wetted condition, without impairing the rarefaction therein on the one hand, or endangering the compressor on the other, so that the conversion ofl liquidinto gas and the absorption of heat, attendant thereon, may thus safely take -place over the greatest' amount of internal coil area, thereby utilizing the full capacity of the apparatus. The

separation of the gas and liquid, however,v

will not sutlice to accomplish these results to a degree insuring the A:full lpossibilities of the system unless the rate of delivery of liquid from the discharge of the eXpansion coil can be directly ascertained and correspondingly controlled, for the maintenance of the Awetted condition of the interior ofthe coil should not be accomplished by more of the liquid refrigerant thanis just sulicient for the purpose. The indicat-ion aiiorded by the level of the liquid in the sight-tube of the separator enables the operator to ascertain with certainty the conditions obtaining Within the coil and to set or vary the expansion valve accordingly for the best results or changing conditions, while gas of uniform-density is thus delivered toy the compressor, providing for that apparatus apract-ially constant load under Y which its operation is manifestlyvmost elticient. V

I claim the following:

, 1. In a :refrigerating system of the kind described, the combination with the gas compressor, liquid storage tank and expansion coil, of a gas and liquid separator connect-' ing the discharge of the coil with the suction of the compressor, and a .pumpfbelow the separator for returningliquid refrigerant therein to the tank,A provided `4with means allowingflow of the pumping plunger to the separator.

2. In a re described, the combination with the gas compressor and expansion coil, of a gas and liquid separator connecting the discharge of the coil with the suction of the compressor, a. pump having its cylinder in normally open communicationwith the liquid in said separator and below the same and a pumping plunger in said cylinder .provided with means for venting the gas formed therein into said separato 3. In a refrigerating system of the kind described, the combination with a gas and liquid separator and a pump for removing the collected liquid therein having its inlet pipe and pumping cylinder below said separato'r and arranged toprovide for gravitational separation and return to the said separator of the gas forming in said pump.

4. In a -refrigerating system of the kind described,theconibination with a gas and liquid separator and a pump having a pumpingl cylinder, an inlet reservoir surrounding said cylinder and an inlet pipe connectingv said reservoir to the liquid in the separator, the said cylinder, reservoir and pipe being arranged to provide for the gravitational regas from beneath frigerating system of the kind..

turn to the separator of. the gas forming in the pump. h

5. In a refrigerating system 01E-thc kind described, the combination with a gas and liquid separator and a pump having its cyl` inder and inlet pipe arranged 'to provide for gravitational passage of gas to the separator, and having itsinlet valve arranged in the plunger thereof and providing for the escape of gas from beneath the plunger into said inlet pipe.l

6. In a. refrigerating s vstem'of the jkind Y described, a storage tank for liquid, an expansion valve, an expansion coil supplied thereby from the tank and a gas and liquid separator connecting the discharge of the coil with the suction ofa gas-compressor and provided with an outlet collected therein, in combination with a. transparent sight-tube having communication by its lower end with said pipe, .its other end being in communication with the gas in the separator above the liquid, and a means connected with said pipe for-returning' the collected liquid to said storage tank.

7. In a refrigerating system of the kind described, an expansion coil, a llas and liquid se arator connecting the discharge of the vcoll with the suction of a gas-compressor and provided with outlets at different levels for liquids collected therein, in combination with pipe for the liquid l i level and located below said level.

8. In a refrigerating system of the kind In testimony whereof, I have signed my described, 4an expansion coil and a gas and nume to the specification in the presence ofv v liquidfsepzalor connecting the discharge two subscribing witnesses.

thereo wit t e suctiono u. :ms-com ressor v r 5 in combination with outlet gipes coiinected ERNjSTfDBF FMAR' with said separator at different levels for Witnesses:

liquids collecting therein and a pump' con-v H. Gr. KIMBALL,

nected withv each of said outletV pipes. CLEFORD H Kpos. 

